Ford Converting Truck Plant to Build Electric Vehicles, Next Focus

Last year, Ford announced that it would idle its Michigan Truck Plant — yes, that’s its name — and then convert it to produce small, efficient cars, namely the next-generation Ford Focus. Today, the company announced it would invest $550 million into the Wayne, Mich., plant’s conversion; not only will the Focus be built there but so will an all-electric Focus that’s scheduled to hit the streets in 2011. The plant will now be called Michigan Assembly. Snazzy.

In 2005, Ford spent $300 million to make Michigan Truck’s body shop “flexible.” Supposedly, that investment will help make this future conversion faster and less expensive.

We might not normally cover such a story here on KickingTires, but these large numbers help illustrate the costs for a typical manufacturer to fundamentally change its operations to produce different vehicles. It takes years and nearly a billion dollars, and that’s for just one line of vehicles.

Source: Ford

Comments

It appears that Ford has very high hopes for Focus.

the person who wrote this article is a perfect
example of the continued nagativity of american cars, Ford announces something very positive and you have a problem with the name of the plant, like that really matters!

A new focus for America? But the current one is only 11 years old!

Ben:

Only the platorm is 10 years old. The car has been redesigned twice since 1999 on the same chassis. YOu wont find any common interior or exterior bit between the 2008 model and the original focus. Most car redesigns utilize the previous model's platform.

Ben Miner: The Focus actually god a lot of changes for 08. The trunk became much bigger - with increased depth while keeping it's old height. The rear seat backs also fold down. Before you had to flip the back seat cushion up and then fold the seat backs.

The center console bin is much bigger. The door mounted cup holder for the passenger is better designed and quite handy.

The lines of the car make it appear far bigger than the older Focus.

Wind noise was also reduced a lot, as was engine noise.

My wife had an 04 Focus that got totalled and we got on 08, so the changes were readily noticeable to us.

I left out any bells and whistles things that Ford added to the Focus and just mentioned handy, useful ones.

I think its a huge step to dedicate one entire plant to creating EV's, but will it be enough for Ford? I just wish they would have done this years ago when they started making electric cars, but before they stopped. Imagine how far they could have came if they didn't give in to the demands of the oil industry.

You mean Ford is investing money into their future instead of crying to Uncle Sam for bailout? Wow, imagine that! WAY TO GO FORD! :)

I have owned to Focus' previously and I wouldn't hessitate to buy another; an all electric? My Prius should be nervous....

Connell:

Ford has nothing to do with the oil industry. Ford was in the business of providing vehicles that people wanted and that included SUVs. Cheap gas isnt a good way to encourage development of world class small cars and electric vehicles. Also, this factory is primarily for the gas powered 2011 Focus, the electric car comes later.